12/03/2012Padua, March 12, 2012 – Safilo is proud to announce that it has received two relevant international certifications regarding corporate social responsibility – SA8000:2008 – and occupational health and safety – BS OHSAS 18001:2007 – from DNV Business Assurance, a world leading independent certification body.

These certifications further demonstrate the Group’s commitment to sustainable development and corporate conscience in every aspect of its business and Safilo is therefore among the first Italian companies in the luxury sector to hold such relevant accreditation. These certifications are key, as they recognize, on an international level, the company’s commitment to its employees and stakeholders, in terms of ensuring sustainable business development.

The company has already shown its commitment to such issues, having previously obtained UNI EN ISO 9001:2008 organization and business process quality accreditation.

“We are extremely satisfied” – said Roberto Vedovotto, Chief Executive Officer of the Safilo Group – “with the goal we have achieved. However, we are well aware that it’s not an endpoint, but a starting point for the company. We were able to achieve this goal by also actively working together with the trade unions, with whom we recently signed a Corporate Group Agreement, specifically including a chapter dedicated to corporate social responsibility. These two key certifications testify to Safilo’s commitment to achieving its goals, by running its business in accordance with sustainability principles, protecting its stakeholders, complying with existing regulations and focusing on continuous improvement”.

Massimo Berlin, General Manager of DNV Business Assurance Italia, said: “The fact that Safilo requested verification from an international independent certification body, such as DNV Business Assurance, shows its dedication and ongoing commitment to addressing the issues involved in such certifications and demonstrates to its stakeholders that the measures adopted meet best management practices and key market standards. We are proud to support a company like Safilo, which decided to undertake this project to also consolidate its leadership in terms of corporate social responsibility, fully understanding its strategic role in sustainable business development”.